Springboks kick off 2026 season against Barbarians in June

Reigning Rugby World Cup champions the Springboks will kick off a bumper 2026 season with an international match against the Barbarians in Gqeberha on the 20th of June.
The match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will take place exactly two weeks before the Springboks’ inaugural Nations Championship match against England at Ellis Park.
The Barbarians coaching quartet will be headed by recently sacked All Blacks head coach, Scott Robertson, and Los Pumas head coach, Felipe Contepomi.
Apart from the Nations Championship, the Springboks will also play New Zealand in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, a four-test series.

The #Springboks will kick off their 2026 season against the @Barbarian_FC in Gqeberha on Saturday, 20 June, two weeks before the inaugural Nations Championship kicks off against England at Ellis Park – more here: #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/JjRmpJ8TfF
— Springboks (@Springboks) February 24, 2026

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